Naiya Whaley

Naiya Whaley is an Associate at RebuttalPR with a strong foundation in strategic and media communications. Prior to joining RebuttalPR, Naiya worked in financial communications at APCO Worldwide, where she supported campaigns on media relations, thought leadership and corporate communications for clients across asset management, government,  and professional services. She also supported internal and external communications at Columbia University, focusing on graduate student engagement, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and institutional storytelling.

Before APCO and Columbia, Naiya gained experience through roles at Golin, NBCUniversal Claflin University, and Sodexo. Across these roles, she sharpened her skills in media relations, content development, and analytics-driven strategy for brands and institutions serving diverse audiences.

Naiya is a graduate of Claflin University, where she was the Class of 2024 valedictorian and a Betsy Plank Scholarship recipient. She was also an active member of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). She is currently pursuing her M.S. in Strategic Communication at Columbia University and resides in New York City.